Contract with a childKing
by Sulix
Summary: This contract is a learning situation for Sebastian as well as Ciel. Oneshot Collection. Rated K - T.
1. Intro

Collection of oneshots or drabbles depicting different situations occurring during the length of their acquittance. All pieces will be part of the same universe -mostly manga canon with some literary license-, but never time-linear unless I specify so.

The status will always be _In Progress_, probably even after Kuroshitsuji ends, but will be updated in a most arbitrary way and is absolutely discontinual so I'm leaving it as _Complete_ from the start.

_Standard Disclaimer applies to all chapters. Kuroshitsuji is intellectual property of Yana Toboso._

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><p><strong>INTRO<strong>

_Beta'ed by TheSecretUchiha  
><em>

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><p>Most people don't realise just how hard it is to take care of my Young Master.<p>

A child in body, a soul tempered by tragedy –_by_ _the_ _heat of hate and the_ _ice of tears_ _he refused to cry_- and a personality that was a blend of both...

Which resulted in a cuirass as tough as steel; a temper that could range from explosive to a cold fury that would be nourished for weeks –_or months_- at a time; a most inconvenient -_at times_– curiosity; a deviousness that would leave most people floundering; a childish need for sweets and games –_be them innocent or downright vicious_- that he absolutely demands -_and expects_- to be met and a series of habits and moments that are trying with most children and positively hellish -_in one way or another if not handled with utmost caution and craftiness_- when the Young Master is involved.

They mistakenly think that, just because he seemingly accepts me in his personal vital space, he trusts me or obeys me when he has to... and that couldn't be further from the truth.

So all of you naïve people, sit tight and let me delight you with snippets of what is like to take care of a child-King with the inherent audaciousness and defiance of children and the cunning of a seasoned adult to have his way... most of the time -_and not for lack of trying, that's for sure_-.


	2. Bed-time stories for little adults

A/N: Warning: Religious themes, but not meant to offend anyone.

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><p>Bed-time stories for little adults<p>

It started as a replacement for bedtime stories in the first weeks of our acquaintance because -_I am most certainly not a child. Do not presume to treat me so!_- at the end of the day, when the shadows began to extend their domains he was still a 10-year-old, though not a normal one as in the last four months he had suffered through the worst humanity had to offer, a hell dreamed up by the dregs of mankind.

The first night into our... _agreement_ was spent in an inn along the road, the young master was exhausted but wouldn't, or maybe he couldn't, allow himself to fall into a deep sleep and spent the night waking from a light sleep every half hour or every time he heard something. The following nights, once in his own bed, he left his rooms in the morning more haggard than he entered them the night before. I dreaded that one night he would order me to comfort him as I, being a daemon, as well as a hell of a butler, had never had such a small master and didn't know how to deal with children first-hand... and as he expected me to treat him as an adult it was easier to just do so.

A few weeks later the young master stopped me before I left his rooms.  
>"Sebastian, wait"<br>"Yes, Young Master?" I answered as I relighted the candle I was carrying with a sweep of my hand.  
>"Come and sit down" He signalled de chair at his bedside, and while obeying I was desperately thinking about everything I knew about bedtime rituals for children which led me to try to think about some age and situation appropriated tale... I was working myself into a panic that I made sure didn't show.<p>

I turned to look at him and was mildly surprised to see him fidgeting and unsure of himself, as he was more proud and commanding than any child should be able to be without being obnoxious.

"Is there anything Young Master wants?"  
>"Can I ask you something?" Young Master was behaving very oddly that night.<br>"Of course, I am here but to serve you" I was preparing myself for anything...  
>"What is your name?" Except for that. I could see in his face a mixture of honest interest and the hope that I would distract and tire him enough so he could sleep.<p>

Now, it isn't common for daemons to speak about themselves to prey, mostly because of holding them in contempt, but I didn't feel any need to turn down or evade the Young Master's question.  
>"My name? My name is whichever you want it to be, Young Master" That didn't mean I couldn't tease him in the process of answering.<br>"No, it is not. Sebastian is a borrowed name I have given you. It is the name I call you by, I am asking for the name you call yourself by" Was that... a pout? Let us skip that teasing for my mental health...  
>"Aartwyn, that is the name I prefer to call myself by most of the time"<br>"Aartwyn..." He repeated after me as if tasting and rolling my name in his mouth "Does it mean anything? And what do you mean 'most of the time'? Do you have other names?" How childish of him, it was almost... endearing. I couldn't refrain the grin blossoming in my face.

"Quite sharp, Young Master. It means Wind Eagle and I like it the most because it represents myself while my other names represent ether my abilities or my position" I could see understanding downing in his eyes "As for my other names... How much do you know about judeo-christian daemons and celtic gods?" He seemed surprised about the question, but answered anyway and, as I had imagined, his knowledge in the subject was quite narrow.

"It does not mean anything if I just tell you my names so let us start at the beginning. There are different kinds of daemons: there are the fae, which are the most and have the lowest status; then there are the fallen angels and lastly there are the... 'minor' gods of other religions, which make the upper echelons of Hell." I could see the questions in the tip of his tongue but he refrained them and let me continue "When a religion if forgotten or stops being practised the main gods fade away, they stop existing. Us, minor gods, morph to take part of the new religion." I paused to take a good look of Young Master and almost laugh as he had his hands fisted on the covers and was leaning in as if to hear better, I could picture him a few years younger and doing the same as he was read to. It seemed that tonight I would get to know the more childish side of Young Master, his eyes showing more honest emotion than in the two past weeks.

"What kind of demon are you, Sebastian?"  
>"I was a minor Welsh god, Arawen, I was a king of the Underworld. Now, not all minor gods hold titles, and sometimes we hold more than one, you have to take into account that human know about us what we want them to know, and as each title grants a name and, if desired, a chosen form, they have no idea that some of us are many 'different' daemons at the same time. When the judeo-christian religion began to expand I was mistakenly named a fallen angel and given the name Penemue, at the same time I am Grand Marquis Marchosias, known as an excellent fighter and capable of answering all questions; I am the Grand Marquis Phenex, too, known as an obedient scholar and poet; and finally I am the Marquis Neberius I am known for my rhetoric and my ability to restore lost honour and dignity, and for each I have a form"<br>"Why so many? Are you not yourself all the same?"  
>"Normally, when I am summoned I appear in a form related to the name I am summoned by. When the Young Master asked for help in the middle of a blotched up ritual to call any daemon and I answered, so I chose to appear human and as a human I do not have any permanent name, thus Young Master named me Sebastian. And for why... Eternity can be quite boring and as each name has certain set of abilities I can play all I want with the greedy creatures that summon me as they expect for something specific and I give them what I want to give them." A soft noise caught my attention, and when I turned I almost couldn't contain the slight widening of my eyes in surprise, the Young Master was snickering , his lithe form shaking with laughter and his eyes shining with mirth. A few moments later he calmed down.<p>

"Who are you for me, Sebastian?"  
>"All and none, after all Young Master is my most entertaining contract yet, so for Young master I am just a hell of a butler" In a second his countenance reverted and he looked every inch the child-King he was.<br>"Let us play, then, Sebastian, but you are never allowed to lie to me." With that he lain down on bed and signalled for me to cover him up and leave.

Thus it began, the first of what would become a nightly tradition, al first, and the basis of our relationship, later on... And once I realized that putting him to bed would stop being so trying I redirected my energy to making him eat adequately.

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><p>AN: If anyone would help beta'ing this or signalling out my mistakes I'd appreciate the help.


	3. On work ethics

There is work and then there is _work_

It was time for elevenses so I prepared the tea cart with freshly brewed white tea and a generous serving of chocolate fudge cake with angel frosting as a special treat as he had a lot of paperwork to finish by the end of the day and left toward his study.

At arrival I noticed that there was no noise at all from the other side of the door so knocking softly on the door I want inside and saw, as I had anticipated, that the Young Master had left. After searching for a while I heard the softest of noises coming from an entirely unexpected place: the toy room... excuse me, the 'Funtom product invention, quality supervision and competition overtaking' room -because anyone knows that in a childless household there is _no need_ for toy rooms-.

Upon opening the door I saw Young Master sitting in the middle of the Persian rug surrounded by plush dolls, drawings, wood toys and what appeared to be a model of the London town house. At the sound of my footsteps and the cart-wheels Young Master looked up and then continued whatever he was doing not looking even remotely guilty.

"Young Master, Is this the right time to indulge yourself? The paperwork must be done by tomorrow at midday."

"Indulge? Can you not see I am working, Sebastian? The new Christmas line must be done by about the middle of November."

"Young Master, it is June and the paperwork will not do itself."

I was almost surprised as it was not like the Young Master to shirk work like that. Suddenly the best of ideas came to me: I moved just enough to draw attention to the cart and it's contents, then turned around and began to make my way to the door.

"Sebastian, Is that chocolate fudge cake?" He looked entranced. Hook.

"With angel frosting and a side of bitter chocolate covered cherries and it shall be waiting in the study next to the not-so-urgent paperwork as I made it as a prize for a work well done" Line.

"I order yo..." The conundrum... if he ordered me to give him the cake it would seem like a tantrum, thus childish.

"You were saying, Young Master?"

"Nothing. I had planed to finish the paperwork after this anyhow" Sinker.

"It shall be waiting for you in your study, Young Master. And try to hurry, you would not like the tea lukewarm."

And this was how I discovered that bribery was as effective now as if was at the beginning of humanity.


End file.
